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(No Model.) I y f L. D. SMITH 8v W. A. OLDS.

PRIGTION FIRE ESCAPE. No. 376,787. 8 Patented Ja.. 24, 1888.

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c' QQ/ UNITED STATES ik p Y LENIOUSv D. SMITH AND WIIJYSON ALBERTOLDS, OF- HELIX, OREGON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. y376,787, dated January 24, 1.888.

Application fried June 9. 1887. Serial No. 240,804. (No model.)

claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a ire-escape embodying our improvements, showing the case' closed. Y Fig. 2 isa similar View of the same, showing the case open. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken .on the line :v :v of Fig. l, showing the case closed "in solid lines and open in dotted lines. .Figa 4 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line y y of Fig. l.

A represents a case, which is made of Wood or other suitable material, and comprises the sides B and C, hinged together at one edge by a hinge, D. From the inner side of the part B, at the center thereof, projects a cam, E, lwhich is circular on its outer side and is pr-o-. vided with a projecting arm, F, on its inner side, the upper and lower sides of the said arms being curved, as shownin Fig. 2. Y From the center of the circular portion or head of the cam projects a stud, G', `which is adapted to enter a corresponding recess, H, made in the inner side of the hinged part C. From the outer edge of the part B projects a handle, I. K represents a spring-detent, which has one end secured to the inner edgel of the' part B, the said detent extending at right angles therefrom. The free end of the detent is provided ou its inner side with a projecting shoulder or barb, L,/the outer side of which is beveled. The free edge of the part G is provided with, a groove, N, adapted to receive the barb or shoulder, and when the said part O is closed against the outer side of the cam the springdetent engages the said part C and thereby locks it in the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 3, as will be very readily understood. P represents a pair of levers, which-are pivoted to the inner side of the part B at equal distances from opposite edges of the cam E by. means of bolts O. The outer ends of the said bolts are provided with projecting studs,which are adapted to enter corresponding recesses in y y.

the inner side of part -O when the latter is closed against the face of. the cam. The levers N are provided with friction-arms P, which' are curved to correspond to the contour of the opposing edges of the cam, and the saidfric-r tion-arms are provided on their inner sides with concave grooves B.' The outer ends of the levers N, which projecty beyond the front edge of part B, are curved in opposite directions and form arms R. The said armshave U-shaped keepers or guides yS formed at their outer ends,l and from opposite sides ofthe saidy arms project Shanks T, to which are secured, op positely-eXtendi-ng handles U.

V represents a rope, which is passed around the cam, ybetween the saine and the opposing sides of the friction-arms P, and the endsi of the` rope are turnedin opposite directions and passed through the keepersor ropes S.'

The operation of our invention is as follows: The rope is first secured near oneend on the cam, betweenthe same and the friction-arms, as shown and described, and the -part C is closed onto the cam and engaged by the springdetent, and thereby firmly locked. The person who is to descend from the lburning building tiesthe short end ofthe rope vto a bed-post or toany other suitable object in the room,L and throws the long end of the rope out ofthe window onto the ground below.l

He then attaches the hook at the upper end l of theloop or stirrup to a ring or opening on one of the armsR, grasps the yhandle I with his right hand and one of the handles U with his left hand, places one or both feet fin the stirrup or loop, and lets himself `out ofthe window.`l His weight causes the rope to` fit in the yokes or keepers S, as shown in Fig. 1, and also causes the lever-arm to which the stirrup is attached to press 'firmly against the yoke and thereby create so much friction between the rope, the cam, and the friction-arm as will cause him to descend slowly as the escape slides downward on the rope. The hand which grasps the handle U also grasps the rope, and the .person is thus enabled to add to y the friction on the rope by compressing the same with the hand against the handle U.

' tially as described.

2. In a friction fire-escape, the combination of the case A,vhaving the cam G, the lever N, pivoted to the case and arranged on one side of the cam, the said lever having the frictionarm P, the handle U, and the keeper or yoke S, the rope passing between the opposing sides of the cam and the friction-arm and through the yoke or keeper, and the stirrup or loop secured to the lever-arm and depending therefrom, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the case A, having the cam G and the lever Lprojecting from one side of the case, the levers N, fulcrumed to the oase on opposite edges of the cam, the said 1evers having the friction-arms P, and provided at their outer ends with the oppositely-ext-end ing handles U, and the yokes or keepers S, the rope passed around the cam between the same 4and the friction-arms and engaged by the yokes or keepers S, and the stirrup or loop adapted to be connected to either ofthe levers N, for the purpose set forth, substantially as described. v

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto axed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

J. L. KILLIAN, J. GRiswoLD. 

